The Town of Haverstraw met for a regular board meeting on Monday, June 11 to award local basketball champions, address purchasing, discuss taxes and make announcements.

After the pledge of allegiance, Chairman Howard Phillips called up the sixth grade Saint Gregory CYO Basketball team and congratulated them and their coach Joe Corretjer on winning the New York State Championship.

“It’s our pleasure to have these girls with us tonight,” Phillips said, turning the mike over to Corretjer.

“We were fortunate to have student coaches come through and help the girls out. They had a great year and thank you to all the parents,” Corretjer said, and then called each girl individually for her certificate.

After the congratulations, the meeting returned to more usual business.

Phillips congratulated The North Rockland 3-mile Walk/Run, which was “a huge success.” There were more than 500 participants and the money raised went to help out the families of Brenda Fay, Gabrielle Dicarlo and Krystian Santiago. The run this year raised about $9,000 for each family, matching last year’s run. “We really appreciate all the help,” said Phillips.

Phillips announced that the pool renovations are completed and will be ready for opening day, Saturday, June 16.

“Come down and sign up for a summer pool pass. We’ve kept them very reasonably priced,” Phillips said, describing the Olympic-size and diving boards.

Other upcoming events include the famer’s market beginning this weekend, Sunday, June 17 and July 4th celebrations. Held on July 3rd, The Heartbeat Band will be playing, a 10-piece band, and fireworks at the Bowline Park.

In more sober news, Phillips detailed the amount of trouble the county is in and how the new taxes implemented will hurt the town badly as well.

“We think this is terribly wrong,” Phillips said. “They’re looking for new ways to increase funds, but a four percent increase on residents’ energy is just not right. We’re in tough times but we’re going to continue to try to hold the line and fight for what we know is right.”

The board also dealt that night with budgets and purchases.

They agreed to award the bid for a kettle crack sealer of $19,945 by Hoffman Equipment of Marlboro, N.Y.

“What we’re trying to do here is lengthen the lives of the roads and save money,” said Phillips.

The board also resolved to award the bid of Westchester Tractor of Brewster for $58,264 for a wood chipper, which demonstrated during last summer’s storm badly needed replacing.

They set a public hearing for Monday, June 25 at 8 p.m. at the Town Hall’s Meeting Room to accept the village of Haverstraw fire district maps.

The board agreed on a settlement for Low Tor Plaza’s 2011 taxes. The current assessment is $1,950,000 but they revised it to $1,700,000, a 13 percent reduction.

They announced that two commercial grade slide gate operator doors were submitted by Frank Brooks, superintendent of highways, and one slide gate would be installed in the entrance of the highway department. It will cost $1,670.77. In addition, they will be hiring a golf course designer, Golf Course Company of Odessa, Fla., for tee markers. Calvin Fowx, the greens-keeper of the Town of Haverstraw Golf Course, recommended them. The cost is $44.95 per tee marker.

The board agreed to establish a petty cash fund of up to $200 for the Bowline Point Park and Recreation for the summer season.

The board amended its investment policy to include irrevocable letter of credit guaranteed by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh.

They confirmed that the $375,000 the ambulance fund borrowed from the general fund was ready to be paid back.

The board announced the closing of three capital project: for the town hall parking improvements, for the automatic irrigation at the Philip J. Rotella Memorial Golf Course and for the Bowline Playgroup equipment. The parking improvement project was budgeted at $500,000, $54,616.58 of that remains and will be transferred back to the general fund. The golf course project was budgeted at $400,000, $25,547.25 remains and will be transferred back to the general fund. The Bowline Playground project was budgeted at $50,000, $202.16 remains and will be transferred back to the general fund.

The meeting closed out in the memory of seven residents who recently passed.